Should I Replace My Furnace This Winter?

The middle of winter is probably the worst possible time to replace a furnace. No one likes going without heating in the middle of the coldest months of the year. Here in California we have it a bit easier than in areas of the country that get buried in snow during February. Still, it’s best that you be able to recognize when you need to replace your furnace before it fails completely. Have a look at some of the signs below that you should replace the furnace this winter.

Unusually High Heating Costs

Heating costs are obviously going to go up the more you use your furnace. You should keep an eye on your monthly heating bills, however, and call a professional if you notice that they start to rise faster than you feel is accurate for how often you’re using the system. Unexplained upward trends in heating costs can often happen as the result of wear and tear on the furnace. As the system wears out and loses efficiency, it will have to operate for longer periods of time to compensate for the loss. The added operating time drives up the monthly costs. The only way to get around this advanced wear and tear is to replace the system.

Frequent Repairs

It’s not unusual to have to repair a furnace every once in a while. As with most things, however, how much of an issue this is depends on the frequency. If you need to repair your furnace every few years, it’s probably fine. If you need to repair your furnace every few months, then you have a big problem. Breaking down that often means the system is getting close to the end of its service life, and that before too long it will likely break down for good. Continuing to pay for repairing a system like that is very costly, oftentimes above and beyond the value of the system itself. If you want to save money in the long run, you are likely going to be a lot better off replacing the system.

Older Than 15 Years

Typically, you can expect a furnace to last between 10 to 15 years. That will fluctuate a little, depending on individual circumstances and the care with which the furnace is treated. Generally, however, once a furnace gets older than 15 years it will rapidly become too expensive to upkeep. You’re going to be spending more money on maintenance and repair costs as parts for the system go out of production and become more expensive. If you want to save money on heating in the long run, it’s highly recommended that you call a professional to evaluate the system once it gets that old. They’ll be able to tell you whether or not you can get away with using your current furnace for another couple of years.